Easter

Easter in Riverside was absolutely beautiful. I have come to the realization that spring is my new favorite season. Autumn has always been my go-to season, and boy did we have a good run. However, fall in southern California is just plain depressing. The weather is still very, very warm, and I am homesick for Oregon, Pumpkin Funland, and OSU football. But spring in California is a different story. Spring brings out all of the good qualities of California, it reminds folks why so many people actually want to over-populate this great state. So yes, the day was beautiful, as well as the holiday. Such a beautiful reminder of how much has been freely given to myself and my family.

So excited about their Easter baskets!

I love this picture, dorky mom bathrobe and all.

Chocolate! Easter grass! Life is swell.

This picture is awesome on so many levels.

All I wanted was ONE picture of the two of them in their Easter duds.

The Monster just wouldn't cooperate.

Steve tried to contain the little guy...

Any guesses who purchased Delaney's dress? If you guessed Grammie, you're a winner!

I really do love this ball of energy.

After church we headed over to Nana and Papa's house. Our friends Caralee, Fiona, and Ellison joined us for dinner and an Easter egg hunt.

Ellie, Delaney, and Jude. At least they were all sort of looking my way...

Look what I found during the Easter egg hunt! Caralee!

This girl is all sweetness.

Fiona's thinking about her next move...

Uncle Monkey and Auntie Beans overseeing the hunt.

Surveying the loot.

Party beads!

The Swingset

This year, for both kids' birthdays, we petitioned family members to donate to the Delaney and Jude Swingset Foundation. Grammie, Grandpa, Nana, Papa, Gramps, Grams, and Uncle Jimmy were all willing donors. And it just so happened that my parents were down for the weekend on a business trip and able to assemble the beast of a play set. Let me just say that swingsets have come a long way since my 1980's childhood.

First things first; washing strawberries with Grammie.

Male bonding time.

And then there's this guy. Do you know what Brun did? He ate the assembly instructions. Thank goodness for the internet!

Dad (Grandpa) in a jolly good mood.

Steve, Papa, and Grandpa cheering for Delaney on a trial run of the monkey bars.

There she goes!

Jude's turn!

Such a great monster. And such a wonderful shirt.

Aquarium of the Pacific

It dawned on me the other day that I very rarely feature photos of Nana and Papa Dunlap on this blog, which is a crying shame. We are spoiled to have them involved in our everyday lives, and so often I forget to capture those everyday life moments on film. Which, again, is a crying shame. So, travel back in time with me to the end of December. Marsha (Nana) joined the kiddos and I at The Aquarium of the Pacific. It was a lovely day and I was having fun playing around with my Instagram app on my iPhone.

Jude, lost in thought.

This kid! She's a silly one.

Nana and her boy.

Delaney and a super-duper big fish.

This is a puffling! Here's a shout out to Nights of the Pufflings by Bruce McMillan. Thank you, third grade reading curriculum!

Oh look, Delaney got wet. Sound familiar?